Free Navy Conflict
|place = Sol system Laconia system Medina Station |result = Consolidated Fleet victory *The Free Navy vanishes from known space *Marco Inaros is killed while attempting inter-system transit *Sol begins rebuilding, its economy is re-stabilized *Talks for the formation of a Belt-run Transport Union begin |side1 = Consolidated Fleet United Nations Martian Congressional Republic Outer Planets Alliance ---- Supported by: Michio Pa's group |side2 = Free Navy ---- Supported by: Government of Laconia |commanders1 = ' C.F. leaders' Chrisjen Avasarala Admiral Souther Jim Holden Emily Richards Rhodes Chen Bobbie Draper Fred Johnson †''' ---- Michio Pa |commanders2 = Marco Inaros '''† ---- |forces1 = Joint Navy United Nations Navy Martian Congressional Republic Navy OPA Navy |forces2 = Free Navy's capacity |casual1 = At least 4-7,000,000,000 Nemesis GamesBabylon's Ashes |casual2 = Total }} The Interplanetary War, also referred to as the War against the Free Navy, was a system-spanning conflict between the Consolidated Fleet (CF) and the authoritarian Free Navy. The war involved the entirety of the Sol system, as well as minor extra-Sol additional factions allegiant to the Free Navy. The main cause of the conflict is viewed as the oppression exerted by the UN (United Nations) and MCR (Martian Congressional Republic) on the Asteroid Belt's populace. Although mainly sharing the same opinion with the OPA (Outer Planets Alliance), the Free Navy chose to adopt a destructive attitude towards the two superpowers, and managed to cripple Earth, after Mars had been weakened by the exodus of colonists venturing towards other systems. Ultimately, the war saw a CF victory as its conclusion, forever eradicating the Free Navy from known space and re-stabilizing human economy, followed by improved transportation systems. The war cost the lives of billions of people, easily being the deadliest conflict in humanity's history, exceeding the number of casualties of World War II by many orders of magnitude. Prelude to War Before the war began, Marco Inaros sent his son, Filip, and his team to raid the Callisto Yards and the base on the moon of Jupiter. At the time, the material that the Free Navy strike team's main objective was to steal the stealth coating for Martian-built ships in his Free Navy and any projectiles which that navy should use to target the inner planets. After the raid, the FN strike team returned to base with the stealth coating. Later, Filip and his team were ordered to retrieve Naomi at Ceres Station, at the time the Rocinante's crew went on shore leave, Alex went to Mars, Amos to Earth to pay his respects to someone close to him, Holden stayed with his ship for repairs and Naomi went to get her son, Filip, out of trouble on Ceres. Course Main course The Free Navy attacks Earth, in an attempt to reset the balance of power in the Sol system. With Earth's Navy defending Earth from the incoming meteors, Marco's Free Navy, which is supplied by the rogue MCRN faction lead by based in the Laconia system, has both superpowers subjugated, thus exerting power throughout the entirety of Sol. The Rocinante's crew set out and managed to stop a geological ship from continuing the attack on Earth. Marco's Free Navy has set up a camp on Ceres. The former's next plan is to overexert the UN-Mars Liberation Coalition Navy by abruptly striping Ceres of its wealth and abandoning the station and its six million residents. At this point, Michio Pa, who is flying for Marco's Free Navy, decides to diverge from Marco's path because he had abandoned his promises of supplying the Belt. The result is a schism in the Free Navy, causing ships loyal Michio Pa to possibly accede to a Sol Coalition, comprised of the UN, MCR and the OPA's joint fleets, as means to oppose Marco's Free Navy. While in travel towards the meeting location, Fred Johnson, the de facto leader of the OPA, has a stroke and dies while in battle with Marco's Pella and two other Free Navy ships. After Johnson's death, Holden and company convince the Allies to gather their forces and launch coordinated attacks on the Free Navy's holdings. The Rocinante and a converted water hauler named Giambattista"The Expanse: Babylon's Ashes" Ch. 38, which is filled with slightly less than four thousand small non-epstein ships and several thousand torpedoes, make a hard burn for the Gate in order to take down the railgun defenses installed by the FN on the Medina Station in the Slow Zone. With the diversion in place, the OPA forces, Bobbie and Amos make a dive for the railgun defenses. Bobbie finds the railguns protected by a small force comprised of Duarte's Martians. Bobbie eventually disables the railguns by destroying the fusion core powering them all. Holden and the OPA then proceed in liberating the Medina Station, which results in all of its occupants surrendering. Holden takes command of the station, which Carlos C de Baca predicted would happen. As one last attempt to retake the station, the Free Navy sends the rest of its forces on a hard burn to the gate to overwhelm the small OPA force and the Rocinante, which were present there. Understanding that winning the battle outright is impossible, Naomi uncovers the mechanism which resulted in certain previous ships disappearing after attempting travel through the Ring network: a very large ship, as well as heavy traffic, can overwhelm the wormhole's physical capabilities, resulting in the ships forever being stranded in its throat. Using the recent revelation, Naomi overloads the Sol Ring's capabilities just as the Free Navy was attempting travel through the Gate. Much like the Barkeith, Marco's Free Navy remains stranded in higher space-time. Conclusion The war ended with an absolute Consolidated Fleet victory, forever eradicating the Free Navy and all of its members. Aftermath Six months later at a conference on the Medina Station, Holden discussed the formation of a Belt-run Transport Union that controls The Ring Network and all the economic, military, etc. intra-system and inter-system trade, as means to restabilize the Sol system's economy, help the colonies flourish and improve living standards in the Asteroid Belt. The idea was formalized and awaits full implementation. Following the cessation of hostilities, the Laconia system has ceased any inter-system communications with Sol and the other systems. However, one certain truth still stands: avoid the Laconia Gate or be destroyed. References See also * Bombardment of Earth * Battle of Medina Station * Transport Union Category:Events Category:Conflicts and Confrontations